INSIDE THE CUBS.

Baker: `Prolonged' slumps are costly

PITTSBURGH — Last year at this time the Cubs already had four losing streaks of three or more games, including a nine-game skid in mid-May that left them with a 13-27 record and 12 games out of first.

Times change, and the three-game losing streak the Cubs ended Thursday night was the first of the season.

"That's what's killed the Cubs in the past," Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. "I remember hearing about 11 and 12 [losses] in a row. When the season started in spring training, that's the only thing you want to stay out of--prolonged losing streaks.

"If you stay out of those, you have a great chance. One prolonged losing streak at the wrong time, and you can go from up here to down there real quick."

Baker was informed the Cubs went 0-14 to start the 1997 season.

"Oooo-weee," he said. "I don't want to hear that one."

Debate 101

Eric Karros circled the bases with an apparent home run in the second inning, but plate umpire Dale Scott reversed the call after Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon argued that it landed several feet outside the foul pole. Baker came out to argue the switch, but his heart wasn't really in it.

"Quite frankly, I thought it was foul," Baker said. "But I have to go out and say something."

Fighting it

Alex Gonzalez was moved from the No. 2 slot to No. 7 in Baker's batting order, with Tom Goodwin leading off and Mark Grudzielanek dropping to second. Gonzalez is 1-for-20 in his last five games and 6-for-41 (.146) on the current trip.

"He's hitting the ball good," Baker said of Gonzalez. "A lot of times your average doesn't indicate how you're hitting the ball. Your average indicates whether you're finding holes or not. We'll take him back to No. 2 [on Friday]."

Cubs files

Thursday was the one-year anniversary of Mark Prior's major-league debut, a 7-4 victory over Pittsburgh at Wrigley Field. In 29 career starts, Prior is 11-7 with a 2.86 earned-run average and 216 strikeouts in 179 innings. . . . Hee Seop Choi has a sore left Achilles' tendon from legging out a double on Wednesday. Choi said he was fine to play, but Baker gave him the day off for precautionary reasons. . . . The postponed game against St. Louis from May 11 has been rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader on Sept. 2 at Wrigley Field, with starting times of 12:05 p.m. and 7:05 p.m.

Last word

Grudzielanek said after Wednesday's loss that his late throw to the plate that allowed Kenny Lofton to score on a pop fly sacrifice should have gone through instead of being cut off.

"If [Choi] lets it go through, I still don't know if we have him," Baker said Thursday. "To me, the hesitation [by Grudzielanek] and not thinking Lofton was going to go was what caused the whole play in the first place."